PLYMOUTH — The New Hampshire Electric Cooperative Board of Directors has approved a rate increase effective Aug. 1 that will raise the average residential member bill by about 9.8 percent. The coldest New England winter in 20 years, along with higher regional energy prices and volatility in global energy markets, drove increased demand and higher costs for electricity.

With these changes, the average Co-op member who uses 573 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per month will see their bill increase by $15.25 (9.8 percent). These changes apply to members receiving Co-op Power supply service. Members enrolled in a community power program or using a competitive supplier may see different impacts.

“We know many of our members are already managing higher household costs, and we worked hard to limit this increase,” said Michael Jennings, Co-op President & CEO. “However, a number of factors, including a cold winter and higher energy prices, drove up the cost of electricity. Our focus remains on providing reliable power at the lowest reasonable cost.”

Beginning Aug. 1, the Co-op Power Charge will increase from 11.1 cents per kWh to 13.9 cents. This will be slightly offset by a reduction in the Regional Access Charge from 4.3 cents per kWh to 4.0 cents.

“We know any increase has a real impact on our members,” said Alana Albee, Chair of the Co-op Board of Directors. “The board worked closely with management to understand the drivers behind these higher costs and ensure the changes were necessary and as limited as possible.”

The Co-op Power Charge represents the actual cost of electricity purchased for members. These costs are largely driven by regional energy markets and are passed through to members without markup. The Regional Access Charge reflects the cost to the Co-op of accessing the regional transmission grid.

For those finding it difficult to pay their electric bill, the Co-op provides assistance to members who qualify through Project Care. To apply for assistance, visit nhec.com/project-care/ or call a Member Solutions representative at (800) 698-2007.

For more details, including the current schedule of rates, visit https://www.nhec.com/schedule-of-fees-rates/.

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